The present invention relates to a textile drying machine having a pass-through intake conduit for one respective drying fluid distribution means and, more particularly, a textile drying machine of the type for applying drying fluid to a traveling web of textile material having an underneath treatment means for applying drying fluid from below the web and an overhead treatment means for applying drying fluid from above the web having an intake conduit passing through a portion of the underneath treatment means.
In one known construction of a textile drying machine such as, for example, a machine commonly referred to as a tenter frame, a web of textile material is advanced horizontally between upper and lower treatment means, each having a distribution housing in which a plurality of jet nozzles mounted for applying a drying fluid such as, for example, heated air, to the traveling web. In addition to ensuring the uniform distribution of the drying fluid onto the traveling web, each of the upper and lower distribution means is provided with an exhaust outlet for exhausting drying fluid which has already contacted the traveling web away from the traveling web to be recirculated through the distribution means. Thus, the upper and lower distribution means of the known textile drying machine continuously recirculate the drying fluid through a continuous loop in which the drying fluid is applied to the traveling web, drawn away from the traveling web through an exhaust outlet and again conducted into the distribution means for reapplication to the traveling web after a heat exchange step or other reconditioning step in which the drying fluid is heated or otherwise reconditioned for re-application to the traveling web.
Each of the upper and lower distribution means extends across the width of the traveling web and extends as well in the direction of advancement of the traveling web to thereby apply drying fluid to the entire respective lengthwise portion of the web traveling through the textile drying machine. Accordingly, the upper and lower distribution means and, in particular, their respective intake components for intaking exhaust drying fluid, must be particularly arranged to avoid interference with one another's operation. Although a number of arrangements have been proposed such as, for example, an arrangement in which all of the components of the upper distribution means are mounted above the traveling web, these proposed solutions still do not optimally minimize the space requirements of the textile drying machine. Additionally, the proposed prior art arrangements of the upper and lower distribution mean do not readily permit independent regulation of the operational parameters of each respective distribution means such as, for example, independent regulation of the pressure and temperature of the drying fluid applied by each respective distribution means.